Parks forced to close by 'appalling' piles of rubbish left by crowds in post-lockdown scramble
Nottingham has closed two parks after large crowds gathered and left rubbish in "appalling scenes" when lockdown was eased this week.
Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen said the Arboretum and Lenton Recreation Ground were closed on Wednesday due to “the actions of a thoughtless minority” who descended on the location during this week's heatwave.
A dispersal order was put in place at the Arboretum, as footage posted on social media captured a brawl and dozens of people drinking, ignoring social distancing rules and leaving behind large amounts of litter.
The easing of lockdown restrictions on Monday means people can now meet up to six other people outdoors.
It was followed by the hottest day of the year, and the hottest March day in 53 years, when temperatures peaked at 24.5C (76.1F) at Kew Gardens in west London on Tuesday.
Many people have been taking the opportunity to meet up, leading to massive clean-up operations in parks and beaches across the country, including in Leeds, Birmingham and London.
Read more: UK beaches 'could ban people from daytime drinking’ after council introduces £1,000 fines
Mellen said he regretted having to close the two Nottingham parks but that the city’s already stretched crews could not deal with cleaning up the extra mess.
He said he would keep the situation under review and hoped to reopen the parks “as soon as possible”.
Mellen said: “We have taken steps to prevent a repeat of the appalling scenes we witnessed at the Arboretum on Monday evening.”
He added: “At our other parks, we have increased patrols of community protection officers who along with police officers will continue to rigorously enforce the ban on drinking in public spaces that’s in place across Nottingham.”
Watch: Shocking footage shows dreadful state of park after lockdown restrictions eased
Pictures also showed the terrible state of a park in Leeds after thousands of sunseekers congregated there.
Beer bottles, disposable barbecues, food wrappers and shards of glass could be seen strewn across the grass.
A council crew arrived at Woodhouse Moor early on Wednesday morning to begin the clean-up and were expected to remain in place well into the afternoon.
PhD student Sophie Meredith, 26, told PA: “It’s really disgusting that people left their litter piled up by the bins and across the grass, and it’s an issue that happens every time there’s a hot day in Leeds.
“Today was the worst I’ve ever seen it, and it’s probably made worse by the fact that everyone’s been cooped up for a year, and there’s not enough bins in that park and they hadn’t been emptied for a few days prior.”
A Leeds City Council spokesman said: “Whilst recognising that people will be keen to meet up with friends and family in our parks and green spaces given the relaxation in some coronavirus restrictions this week, we are asking residents to still fully respect all of the guidance currently in place.
"This includes those rules relating to social distancing and gatherings."
Meanwhile, TV personality Judge Robert Rinder tweeted a picture of a council worker cleaning rubbish in Primrose Hill, north London, on Wednesday, adding: “Leaving your rubbish for others to pick up is halitosis of the human soul.”
Images also showed waste left in Battersea Park in south London.
Read more: COVID warnings as thousands hit beaches and parks as lockdown eased
This man didn’t think he was special. He told me he was from Romania but didn’t want any praise: ‘it’s just my job.’
His Job? Primrose Hill this morning cleaning up a sea of debris.
Leaving your rubbish for others to pick up is halitosis of the human soul. pic.twitter.com/E0audBSQ4W— Robert Rinder (@RobbieRinder) March 31, 2021
Elsewhere, police in Birmingham issued no fines in Cannon Hill Park despite large crowds and “music and lighting being set up”.
But some of the grass-mowing planned across the city's parks was suspended so council workers could focus on litter-picking.
And in Sheffield a massive litter-picking operation started at 6am on Wednesday, with the city council posting a video of rubbish strewn across Endcliffe Park.
The council tweeted: “We know people have missed socialising in the sun but this is not what is meant by easing out of lockdown.”
Watch: How England will leave lockdown